This invention relates to a small device to set on a desk to engage the lower edge of a sheet of paper and hold it in an upright position.
A page holder currently in use includes a housing with an upwardly opening groove or slot for holding erect one or more sheets of paper. The groove has a curved, horizontal cross section. Thus, when the lower edge of a sheet of paper is inserted in the bottom of the groove, the lower portion of the paper generally conforms to the curved shape of the groove to hold the sheets in an erect but slightly angled position for convenient viewing. It has been found, however, that a sheet is able to slide or tilt in the groove too readily, particularly if it is not carefully centered or uniformly placed in contact with the bottom of the groove. It may also move if the sheet or desk upon which the holder is resting is accidentally bumped. The shape of the groove does not seem to adequately maintain the sheet in the desired position.
Also, a front lip on this prior art device is of relatively limited height so as to create a substantial gap from one wall of the groove at the top of the lip to the other wall, which is the highest point of the groove on the device. Consequently, pages placed in the groove are somewhat unstable and the upper portion of the page can fall forward too readily.
Accordingly, an improvement is desirable for holding pages that substantially increases the friction between the pages and the walls of the groove on which it rests, and that simplifies the positioning. It is a goal that this should result in increased stability and a reduced tendency for the pages to tilt or slide within the groove or fall forward over the front lip.